Dairies in Thuringia experience decrease in count - Dairy farm count in Thuringia shrinks
Drastic Decline in Thuringia's Dairy Farming Sector
Over the past decade, the number of dairy farms in Thuringia has seen a significant drop. Data from the Thuringian Ministry of Economics shows a reduction to 280 farms in 2023, compared to 500 a decade ago.
While the number of dairy cows has also decreased, the decrease is less dramatic, amounting to approximately 24% to 82,900 animals. In 2013, the figure was 109,000.
The Thuringian Farmers' Association reveals a broader national trend, with many operations either abandoning dairy farming or expanding their farms by investing in larger stalls and automated systems. This shift is partly due to the shortage of skilled agricultural workers.
Consequently, the production of milk has decreased only around 21% within nine years, despite a near halving of the number of operations. In 2022, Thuringian dairy farms in conventional agriculture produced 770,000 tons of milk.
The number of organic dairy farms in Thuringia has remained relatively stable over the past ten years, with only 20 organic farms with dairy cows in 2023. This is despite the growing trend towards organic farming nationwide.
Economic pressures, market conditions, structural changes, demographic factors, regulatory influences, and evolving market demands are contributing to the decline in dairy farming in Thuringia, mirroring broader trends in agriculture across Germany and much of Europe. Small and medium-sized farms are finding it difficult to compete against larger, more industrialized operations. The aging farmer population, rural depopulation, changing lifestyle preferences, increased regulatory burdens, and shifting subsidy structures are also impacting the sector.
- Community aid might be required to support smaller dairy farms in Thuringia, as they struggle to compete with larger, more industrialized operations in the dairy industry.
- To boost milk production in the region, finance could be allocated towards the modernization of facilities and technological advancements for dairy farms, which may enhance their production efficiency and help them keep up with the industry's standards.
